New Rice Prevents Vitamin A Deficiency
Figure 1: Structure of beta-carotene
For millions of people rice is a dietary staple. However, rice does not contain vitamin A once it has been prepared for human consumption.
Researchers have just discovered how to genetically engineer the rice we eat to contain Vitamin A. Certain genes were introduced into rice to activate the beta-carotene synthesis pathway in the rice endosperm. This report provides information about the importance of Vitamin A in the diet, why rice was chosen, and how the rice was engineered to contain beta-carotene which is vital to Vitamin A nutrition.